Becoming
by FairytaleFatale
Summary: Finally someone wasn't underestimating her. Shame he was such a psychotic bastard, being underestimated would make getting out of this situation a lot easier.  Eventual J/L rated for language
1. Destinations

(( Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and, well, there's a pretty good chance that's been done before ^^; anyway! Here's my first foray into the world of Red Eye fan fiction. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! I should be updating every day/other day as I have 95% of this fic finished and written I'm just streamlining it and finishing up the ending! As always reviews are loved 3 ))

The moment seemed too much for her. Lisa shivered despite the clammy warmth of the July night and cranked up the aircon, the sweat gelling on her skin as she prayed the cold would help clear her spinning head. Loosening the white-knuckle grip she had on the steering wheel Lisa spun the car into a service stop and switched off the engine.

She couldn't meet him like this, her breathing was too erratic and the panic bubbling inside of her chest kept threatening to spill over. Space, she thought desperately, was what she needed; to think. Bolting out of the car and through the swoosh of the automatic doors she stumbled as the bright lights hit her and made her eyes struggle to adjust. The interior of the service station was entirely non-descript and full of the dizzying scent of day old fast-food and sweat. Finding the sign she needed she followed it directly to the ladies room, rushing to distract herself from the situation she found herself in. Not pausing until she was washing her hands in the sink.

Confronted with her own reflection Lisa forced herself to calm down focusing on the creature in the mirror. Wholly alien to herself but standing in an identically anonymous ladies room her face was pale, dark smudges becoming visible under too-bright eyes. The usually perfect auburn ringlets dishevelled almost stylishly, the plain black clothes only serving to accentuate the feral gaze she stared back with. Accusing and aloof and underneath it panicking. Who was Lisa too judge her? Didn't she get enough shit from him?

A snort of laughter escaped her almost hysterically as she realized she was fighting with herself in a public bathroom. Not sane behaviour by any stretch of the imagination. Sighing she straightened her hair out half heartedly and lifted her chin, gaze set to meet whatever awaited her at the final destination. If she was going down she was going down on her own terms, and she'd be damned if she didn't try and take the bastard with her.

Back in the car she let a sense of peace wash over her, the decision was made it was up to fate what happened next. Lisa slung the hatchback into gear and sped out onto the highway suddenly eager to get it all over with.

The rest of the drive was uneventful and before she could think Lisa was turning the car into the narrow unmarked road the hastily scribbled directions had told her would be there, barely legible from where her hand had shaken so much. The path ahead was unpaved and she could feel her suspension complaining with every invisible pot hole the road threw at her from the gloom. To either side of the small beaten up car were trees stretching far into the distance, there branches heavy with leaves making the smell of summer almost unbearable. She rattled forward for about half a mile before the path took a sharp turn left which as she followed it revealed an end to the trees up ahead, it opened out onto a clearing in the midst of which stood a daunting old house. She brought the car to a stop near the doors and got out. Staring up at the aged house with a look of forced nonchalance Lisa tried to ignore the way it loomed over her through the darkness blocking out the light out of the silver moon completely.

"Hands where I can see them Leese."

She gritted her teeth as the voice skittered across her fragile nerve endings, The door to the house had creaked open just a fraction to reveal a man leaning cautiously round, haloed in the watery yellow light, it seemed to glint off his eyes and the hand gun he had trained on her head. She followed his instructions warily raising both hands before stepping slowly away from the car and butting the door too with her hip.

"Make the trade, Jack." It was this turn to clench his jaw as his most hated diminutive rolled off her tongue. He choose, however, to ignore the burst of anger that flared within him and nodded sharply. He stepped swiftly away from the door and two obscenely large men hurried out from behind him, both dressed identically in black with matching close cropped hair. They could have been twins excepting the vast difference in their skin tones, between them they bore a blindfolded figure who seemed to be struggling in vein.

"Get off you bastards, Lisa honey are you there? Don't… Watch it!… Don't listen to them! Don't do this!" A few more colourful expletives followed him as one of the men single handedly wrestled the aging gentlemen into Lisa's car, the other pulled her away from it in one smooth movement before grabbing the keys from her still-raised hands and throwing them to his partner.

"Dad, it's okay, I'll be fine just keep yourself safe, no one else is going to get hurt because of me. This is MY choice." She didn't try to fight the behemoth holding her in place and instead just called after the car as it shifted into gear and drove away lightening fast. When it had disappeared from view she turned her chin definitely at her now-captor. "I want proof he's home safe and that the threat to him is gone."

Jackson nodded distractedly, inwardly impressed at the easy transaction and the composure his adversary held herself with. "As was agreed. Welcome to the Casa Del Rippner, Leese. Enjoy your stay." She glared at him coolly as she was hustled past and he could have sworn he heard her mutter something to the effect of 'yeah like that's gonna happen'. His smile widened as he followed the guard into his headquarters the door closing behind them with a subdued click.

Lisa paced her room for the seven millionth time, so that was that, she thought, kinda anti-climatic. She collapsed onto the bed with a weary sigh, closing her eyes against the unfamiliar ivory ceiling. It had all started around eight weeks ago. Small at first, subtle hints that something wasn't right in her life, the itching feeling between her shoulder blades that someone was watching her when she walked home from work. Hints of a familiar aftershave tantalizingly close but the mysterious owner always vanishing before she could get a proper look at him at the bar she frequented on the occasional night out. Nothing she couldn't write off as an overactive imagination combined with some seriously delayed post-traumatic stress.

It was almost a year since that fateful night on the Red Eye from Texas to Miami, of course she was going to be a little edgy. As days turned to weeks however the feeling worsened, the bartender started giving her Bay breezes as opposed to the Sea breezes she always ordered and looking very confused as to why. The feeling of being watched worsened, and she could feel paranoia taking over her mind. She no longer travelled at night, a can of mace in her pocket wherever she went and the door remained permanently dead bolted and triple locked. No one knew what had happened to the criminal known as Jackson Rippner, he seemed on deaths door until he mysteriously disappeared from the hospital a month after 'the incident'. Eight weeks later on the three month anniversary of the flight Keefe suffered a heart attack in a hotel and was found dead by his mistress. Keefe had no history of heart defects but then again his wife had never known about the string of lovers he kept on the side either. She didn't launch an inquiry.

Two weeks ago she'd received a letter, a plain brown envelope with no senders address on it. Inside it held two large glossy photographs, one almost artistic sepia print of herself at the stove making scrambled eggs late at night, last night she realized nearly dropping it from shock as she flicked to the other. It was of her father getting out of his car at home. She ripped the envelope open searching for a note but there was nothing else in there, flipping the photos over desperately she found what she was looking for.

"When did you last call your dad? . ~JR"

She blanched visibly hands shaking so badly the prints fell to the floor, her mind whirring over and over with the same phrase 'no not again'. She fell to her knees hyperventilating desperately as the room seemed to spin around her, it seemed as if she might succumb to the panic completely. Seconds past like minutes as she snapped her head up her lungs suddenly working again as a cold sense of reason washed through her. No. She had to be logical about this, this was a dangerous game she was playing and the stakes were to high for her to lose her head. She jumped to her feet picking up the photo and studying the back of it again.  
" When did you last call your dad…" She muttered to herself, it had been two days she remembered, Sunday evening. Did this mean that he'd been taken? Worse… killed? Lisa shook her head against the paralyzing thought, logically the first thing she should do would be call the police but that was her logic not his and getting the cops involved would probably have adverse effects. Call… Of course! The first thing she should do would be call her father. That's what he would expect her to do, what she demanded to do on the plane so long ago. Her heart pounded as she grabbed the white plastic phone on the hall table punching the familiar numbers in as the feeling of dread became a dull pounding in the base of her stomach. If she was right it wouldn't be her father's voice at the end of the phone at all. It would be Jackson's.

The phone rang and a very smug criminal mastermind checked his watch with forced calm before leisurely strolling to pick up. She'd arrived home at twenty one hundred hours, it was now six minutes past. She was quick on the uptake.

"Leese…" He drawled lazily, his vocal chords apparently unharmed from their past meetings "So nice of you to call."

"What have you done with him?"

"What no pleasantries? No how do you dos and how's the gun shots healing?" He mocked her pleasantly "I'm doing nothing to daddy-dearest but I have asked a couple of associates of mine to hold him for the time being. Making sure he's comfy and all while we have this little chat."

"What do you want?"

"Well you really are to the point tonight aren't ya Leese? Sure you don't wanna complain about the difficulty of your situation, plead for his life?"

"You really do love the sound of your own voice don't you Jack?" She couldn't help but snipe at him feeling only afterwards the dangerous line she balanced on "Give me the facts."

"Now there's a sentiment I can admire! The facts are, Leese, that you're father is my guest, he's to be unharmed for two weeks at the end of which time if your not standing at my doorway I'm gonna have to send the old man up to the big guy in the sky a little earlier than was expected. If I hear a whisper of the polices involvement, and trust me on this I will hear of it, then he checks out early anyway."

"How do I know you won't just kill both of us when I get there?"

He pursed his lips his tone taking a disapproving colour to it. "Hmm you have my word, I've never lied to you before Leese, I expect the same courtesy back. When you arrive he leaves, he'll be blindfolded and driven back to a city in your car, he'll be left outside a police station where he's free to scream and yell and kick up as big a fuss as he likes over your mysterious disappearance."

She nodded to herself. "We have a deal then, how do I find you?"

"Don't you worry about that Leese you'll know when I want you to know."

"Wait that's not a - " Her sentence was abruptly cut off as he hung up. She slammed the phone down hard cursing colourfully. What was his game - keeping her in agonizing uncertainty for two weeks! Her face set in a grimace as she realized that was his exactly his intention. Letting her suffer. She had to think, contact was on his terms and her only bargaining chip was herself. The cops were out of the question, what with his easy hospital escape he had to have at least half the Miami PD on his payroll. No this was her fight.

Lisa rolled over on the large bed, well the hold-up was over it seemed. Here she was waiting on an assurance that her father was safe, alone in a comfortable but sparse room with no indication of her future. She'd been wondering about it for a while, what sort of revenge her personal demon would inflict on her - would it be slow and drawn out or would he just take her behind the house and shoot her? Her money was on the first option, her lips twisted in distaste, it was more his style.


	2. Reminiscence

She didn't see him until the next day, late the next day in fact just as the sun began to set over the endless forest she could glimpse from her barred window. She had become very familiar with the view over the last few hours, the room she was kept in was sparse indeed, everything plain white and functional. There was a door to a bathroom and a small hatch that food was brought to her through twice already. Obviously they didn't want her risking trying to escape, which admittedly she had been contemplating for the last few hours. She still hadn't decided in her mind whether it was worth it - she'd only risk her father's life again and those of the people she surrounded herself with. Despite this Lisa wasn't one to give herself over to the control of anyone else and the feeling of being under someone else's power rankled. Especially his.

She decided to play it cool, nothing he could do to her could hurt her, it was only her loved ones' pain she feared. She had taught herself over the years since the incident(s) that people could only hurt her physically no one could ever touch her mind again or her soul. That belonged to her and her alone and no matter what horrors another could inflict upon her it wouldn't touch her there.

As she contemplated the last dying rays of the summer sun the door clicked open and she turned with a forced nonchalance to regard her captor, arms folded. He had his hands in his pockets, his face the picture of boyish charm looking altogether too much like a school boy caught doing something he shouldn't have been. God she wanted to wipe that smirk of his face. He was a monster, she told herself, a murderer. Utterly soulless. She regarded him levelly. her face passive, never betraying the swell of negative emotions that reared it's ugly head when he appeared.

"Evenin' Leese, how are you enjoying your stay so far?"

She raised an eyebrow at this, subconsciously noting that he seemed almost surprised by her composure before discarding the idea. "It's been just peachy, thanks. Can I enquire as to why I'm here?"

"Didn't I tell you that I'd have to steal you if we got out of there alive." He shrugged, his cold blue eyes not quite matching the rest of his amiable expression. "And here we are… still breathing."

"More's the pity." She murmured barely having time to register his movement as he closed the small distance between them in three strides, his hand wrapping around her neck as her back hit the wall hard.

"Well that can be easily rectified if you have such a problem with it Leese."

She struggled to maintain her composure as she felt her windpipe scream out in protest to her current predicament. He was so predictable, so easily angered. She met his furious eyes with a gaze of her own, she held the contact there unblinking. After what felt like an eternity but was in reality only a few seconds she let the corner of her mouth twist up into a smile of her own, letting her distaste tint her voice. "If you were just going to kill me Jack you would have done it already, not wasted the time and resources to get me here. Don't let your emotions make you so weak."

He felt his face ignite with heat at her words, and without thinking slammed his head into hers knocking her unconscious in his arms. How dare she? He fumed to himself as he lifted her prone form up as if she weighed nothing before depositing her with unthinking care on the bed. He had spent months setting this up, laying the bait for his trap. Watching her, tricking her, making her every waking minute edged with paranoia and she hadn't reacted at all as he had foreseen. He had expected tears and begging, she'd plead for her life, for her freedom and then when she was at her weakest he'd take his revenge and end her. Or maybe not, let her live in fear of him, she could be useful on some of his assignments. With this often indecisive goal in mind he had devoted himself to achieving it, some days sure he would kill her on others smug in the anticipation of her subjugation. He was obsessed, as soon as he was healed enough to move he was planning.

First he would finish the hit on Charles Keefe, easy enough to get an associate to slip him the drugs that would end his life - not as bold a message as his client had originally intended but suitable enough she had agreed. Lisa didn't know but Keefe's wife and children had never been part of his intended demise - he had only hinted at it to keep her at a distance from the truth, he didn't lie precisely just omitted knowledge to the contrary. She didn't in fact know it was Mrs Keefe who had ordered the hit in the first place and was ready at precisely the right time to leave the hotel room with the children, making her guilt seem impossible. It was she who convinced Keefe not to follow there usual procedure of moving to there redundant reservations. Despite the media thinking the contrary Mrs Keefe was well aware of her husbands infidelity and had dealt out a justice of her own making.

After this success he had to bide his time, always thinking and plotting but still healing from his serious wounds. It wasn't until a few months after he could start to resume his previous vigil of following her. She had filled every corner of his mind and haunted his dream like some terrible spectre sometimes weeping, sometimes fighting, even occasionally flirting over a light cocktail in an instantly forgettable airport bar. It was these last dreams that worried him the most if he ever let himself dwell on them. There was a very fine line between hate and something entirely more terrifying and he could feel his grasp slipping.

He regarded the unconscious figure, his anger fading to be replaced with curiosity. Who was this woman asleep in his house? She wasn't the emotional wreck he had anticipated but something different entirely. A cool-headed Amazon seemingly unconcerned with her own fate, the physical realization of something he'd only glimpsed before on that fateful flight that occupied so much of his mind. Fiercely intelligent and level headed she had played him at his own game, twisting his words against him. It was almost as if the fragile form he'd tried to break the year before had stitched herself together again from pieces of the past to create this new, improved creature. He had to hand it too her, she knew how to press his buttons all to well, he'd have to watch her more closely from now on. The game had changed and Jackson found himself not altogether unpleased with the revelation. He felt perhaps as if he'd met his match, to break her spirit would have been satisfying to be sure but there was only so much pleasure to be gained from the fearful shell she would have become. If only he could convince her to play co-op what a team they would make.

With these confused musings in mind he left the room to start drawing out the plans for a whole new game. A beautiful, frightening new game.

Lisa woke alone in the room, not knowing how long she'd been unconscious, long enough for someone to have thoughtfully left two aspirin and a plastic tumbler of water on the side it seemed. She rubbed her throbbing head as she reached for the pills, his temper was even more fragile than she remembered, easier to make violent too. As she swallowed down the water she pondered her situation again, fighting hard to dampen down the fear that battered her defences. No matter what, she vowed, no one can make me feel what I don't want to feel. This mantra looping in her mind she replaced the empty cup and curled up, letting sleep take her once again.


	3. Eventual Agreements

Jackson woke alone; this in itself was not surprising, he'd woken alone every morning for a very long time, what was surprising was that suddenly today he was conscious of it. After devoting every day of a year to the pursuit of one goal he'd found himself suddenly at a loss and running to catch up. His new plan was simple - convince Lisa to join him, as a business partner of course. The tricky part would be realizing it. Despite her new attitude he was pretty certain her moral compass pointed due north. He'd have to find away to free her from it and walk the line between right and wrong without fear of retribution. But how? All Jackson knew is that somehow he would have to gain her trust and that would not be an easy feat to achieve.

Sunlight streamed through the open curtains, waking Lisa from her tangled dreams. Her mind scrambled for a location as she once again faced the prospect of an unfamiliar place, the bed orientated the wrong way and the air smelling strangely too much of washing powder and pine needles. As she caught up with her conscious mind she released a frustrated sigh, _day two. _She was rapidly becoming bored of her sparse accommodation and wondered if he was trying to drive her mad through that means alone. A hint of a smile touched her face as she realized it would probably work too. She almost missed his psychotic company, him being the only one who had spoken to her, the faceless food lackeys not deigning to speak to her when she politely inquired about their day. Realizing what she just thought Lisa violently shook her head as if she could physically change her mind. These thoughts occupied the chief part of her morning.

Lisa was startled from her reverie as the door clicked open and the man behind her musings himself walked in, looking perfectly calm and composed despite the violent end to last nights meeting.

"Afternoon Leese"

"Is it? I hadn't noticed."

He smiled indulgently at her and she fancied she could hear the cogs of his brain whirring behind his too-blue eyes. Fitting, she thought, he does seem fairly cyborg like. Today he was dressed in yet another suit only he had omitted the tie and the top buttons of his slate-grey shirt were undone. She wondered if he owned a pair of jeans, she couldn't imagine it. She had no choice but the non-descript white t-shirt and jeans that she'd found in the small dresser by the bed (the dresser, she hastened to add, they'd seen fit to bolt to the wall. She must have been scarier than she thought.)

"Lisa. Pay attention." Her eyes were immediately drawn back to his face from where they'd drifted off into the middle distance, too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice he'd been speaking. She smiled politely at the hints of anger that started to threaten his composure.

"Hmm?"

"I was saying, considering how you've been locked up in here for a few days now perhaps you'd like to stretch your legs a bit, take a stroll." He looked ever so casual leaning against the door frame, it made her head hurt. She preferred it when he lost his calm, even though it usually ended in her pain, at least then she could see the man behind the perfect façade. The monster. She considered his suggestion.

"Depends… will you be there?" She accompanied this statement with her sweetest smile.

"Ofcourse, who better to give you the grand tour."

"Then I think I'll pass. Thanks anyway." She turned her back on him staring out of the little window as if he'd already left and after a minute thinking perhaps that he had. Her breath caught when his voice sounded right beside her. She hadn't heard him move.

"Another day in here alone and you might just change your mind Leese. Aren't you curious to see your new home?" He was standing too close, she could almost feel the heat radiating off him - which surprised her as she'd always assumed he was cold blooded. She turned to look at him over her shoulder, despite a good head and a half height difference she was well aware it was the closest they'd ever stood without trying to kill each other.

"This will never be my home."

"Don't be so sure." He caught her chin in his hand and stared for a full thirty seconds into her eyes before turning abruptly and leaving.

Lisa sank down the wall to the floor feeling confused and deeply shaken. He disturbed her mind greatly, despite his lack of proficiency with a gun he used his presence like a weapon. Every word carefully spoken, his eyes always burning in his skull. She hated him so completely that the depth of her emotions scared her, almost as much as her fascination with him. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make him like this. Ponder what was he really like when he wasn't terrorizing her. Obsess her mind whispered cruelly.

He returned every day at the same time to ask her to join him on the tour. She rebuffed him each time, sometimes witty sometimes angry he just smiled and said how he hoped she'd change her mind. She could feel the walls starting to close in on her - a weeks a long time to go by without talking to anyone, hearing anyone's voice. She'd been allowed one short phone call to her father - he was (as promised) alive and well but begged her to tell him where she was, promising as the line cut out that he'd find her. He'll find me, she thought, He'll find me before I crack.

On the fifth day Jackson asked, she agreed. Casually sauntering past him, he smirked at her back feeling the rush of victory in the pit of his stomach. He grabbed her wrists from behind causing her to cry out, she glared at him as best she could as he gently but firmly cuffed them.

"I'm not suicidal Leese and you are far too intelligent for me to trust you with your complete freedom. I've seen what you're capable of with blunt objects." His tone was half serious half teasing and she tried to ignore the guilty stab of pleasure at his truthful complement. She kind of liked being feared, it made her feel powerful. Finally someone wasn't underestimating her. Shame it was a psychotic bastard, being underestimated would make getting out of this situation a lot easier.

Jackson lead her out into the mansion proper, she was surprised to find she had forgotten just how big it had seemed on her short-trip through it before, her burly escort had shot her with something that knocked her out fast. The walls were cream, the accents a dark wood giving an impression of classic beauty. Her eyes travelled over everything fast memorizing with quick glances every door and window in the place. Once the handcuffs were secure her captor turned tour guide let his hands fall, seeming almost hesitant to break contact as he moved to place one hand against her lower back effectively guiding her through the hallway and up a flight of stairs to what she guessed was the third storey, up here there were less doors, as instead of coming out on a hallway the steps lead to a large open room where about a half dozen people were.

She recognized the two goons she'd seen on her arrival sitting with a third equally large male around a small table apparently playing cards. Two desks sat in the middle of the room set up with lots of high tech equipment and an entire wall was dedicated to plans and papers, blueprints and candid photos. At one of the desks sat an elderly woman who smiled kindly at her before returning to chat to very young looking man still apparently suffering from the after effects acne who had perched himself next to her. The other computer was unoccupied, but by the wall of papers another man stood with his back to her apparently amending some notes.

She couldn't help but to gape a little, so this is what an evil headquarters looked like. She didn't expect it to be so… airy.

"Here we are then Leese, HQ. You've met Jeremy and David, that's Markus with them there." The heavy-weights waved friendlily at her before returning to there game. "That over there is Paulo, my business associate…" The man by the paper turned distractedly and raised a hand before mouthing an apology and gesturing to a phone she hadn't noticed he was listening too. "And here we have Elspeth and Danny." He didn't offer any further comment but brought her up next to them.

"Uhm… Hi." She offered weakly struck by the surrealism of her situation, being introduced like a new temp to any small office-based company. The muscle men and suit she understood but her mind was struggling to grasp the old woman and teenager, after a week with no social contact this was just plain weird. Jackson smiled warmly at the pair and waved towards Lisa.

"This is Lisa, our guest at the moment."

"I think he means hostage." She interjected testily.

"You say tomato I say…"

"Hostage?"

There back-and-forth was cut off by Elspeth laughing and shooing the boy off her desk.

"Well would you listen to the pair of you! If I didn't know any better I'd say…" She laughed again and shuffled her chair along before gesturing to the boy to get the one by the other computer. He hurried to comply. "I'd shake your hand dear but the handcuffs make it rather difficult! Not that I blame Jacky mind, he's right not to be letting you loose yet - I hear tell you're one dangerous lady when you choose to be. Now why don't you sit down next to me and keep an old lady company while that young man of yours goes and talks shop with Paulo over there. Off you trot deary."

Jackson looked at Lisa with a shrug and a look that said 'consider me told' before heading off in the direction of the paper-wall. His expression would have made her laugh if it had been worn by anyone but him. She sat dazedly next to the woman who was now sipping at a chintzy mug of what smelt like herbal tea and chatting conversationally about the weather. She wondered once again how she'd gotten mixed up in all this.

"There there dear, he's really not such a bad lad. A bit uppity, I'll give you, and has a terrible temper if you push him wrong but a sweetheart really."

She snorted at this.

"Are we still talking about the same guy?"

Elspeth patted her knee and correctly guessed her next question.

"So I suppose you'll be wanting to know how a nice old biddy like me got mixed up with such a terrible murderin' fella as our Mr Rippner, no?"

"Well I was a bit curious…" She confessed, cheeks colouring a little as a happy gleam entered the older lady's eye - as if remembering some nostalgic gems.

"Well you see dear, I taught him everything he knows. Well not how to shoot that's for damned sure, pardon my language, the boy was always useless with ranged weapons but the rest important stuff anyway. Not that I can have any of the fun anymore but back in the day I tell you I was the best in the business, not a caper in town ol' Essy didn't have a shoe in!" She smiled distantly her eyes falling on an old black and white photograph on her desk of a beautiful girl around twenty wearing an evening gown and laughing at something that someone was saying out of the frame.

"You… were a hit woman…"

"Don't sound surprised deary! There's a good living to be earned by those who don't mind getting there hands dirty now and then! And it wasn't just the assassination work either, heists, forgeries I was queen of the lot! Though like I'm always telling Jacky, ya have to choose your jobs. Never go stealing what ain't meant to be stolen or killing folk who have souls cleaner than the new snow. Now Jacky-boy he's alright by that kinda stuff, he's had his bad times to be sure and sometimes you don't have much choice if a job turns south - ah I remember this one time in Arkansas about six odd years back when…"

Her mind was reeling with this information by the time Jackson finally came to take her away again. She bid good by to Elspeth (Call me Essy, only time people uses my full name is when they're in trouble and they know it!) who waved her off with a knowing smile. He lead her out of the room and down the stairs again, she knew making a break for it now would be ridiculously stupid so she contented herself with biding her time again, processing her new found information. Sensing her distraction Jackson was content to walk beside her in silence, his hand once again on the small of her back to lead her through the twisty corridors back to her room. Once there he inquired as to what she thought of them.

"They seem…" peculiar, twisted, strangely normal "different."

He nodded content with this answer for now as he held the door open for her. Before he closed it she stopped it with her foot. This puzzled him, body subconsciously tensing incase she made a break for it but her relaxed posture indicating otherwise.

"What is it?"

"Well… Aren't you going to take my handcuffs off?" She shrugged her shoulders, turning slightly to indicate her still bound hands. The mentally smacked himself as he outwardly grinned at her.

"Now there's an idea!" He quickly obliged once again his touch lingering just a moment too long against her skin. She quickly pulled away, trying to rub some feeling back into her wrists. He went to close the door again but was stopped once again this time by his name.

"Jackson?"

"Yes Leese?"

"Is it true you once wrestled a bear?"

His grin spread as he shook his head lightly with mirth. He winked at her, "Only a small one" and closed the door on her.


	4. Deals with the Devil

A lot can change in a few weeks and by the end of her second week Lisa's head was swimming. Every day since that first visit to 'The Office' she had been taken back there for a few hours, most days Jackson himself came though on the weekend it had been the large muscle-man she'd come to know as 'Jez', apparently the boss was out working a job with Paulo. Each day without fail she'd be cuffed and led up the stairs to the airy room. She most often sat with Elspeth who would regale her with tales from her youth or from some of Jackson's more humorous exploits. Occasionally the three bruisers would join them if a particularly good yarn was being spun.

Danny also joined them once or twice but always remained quiet to the point that Lisa was starting to wonder if he was, in fact, a mute. She was intensely curious about his story but didn't feel comfortable enough to ask. It was easy to forget in those hours that the people she chatted with were accessories in her kidnapping, just as it was hard to imagine the cold manipulating monster who had kidnapped her in the first place was the cool, funny (and often clumsy) character in Essy's tales.

"… and well he damn near dropped the thing! After all that I ask you!"

Lisa laughed along with the muscle-men at the image, they sat respectfully around her desk their card game and Elspeth's work forgotten as she told the tale. It was at this moment when the man in question chose to appear.

"What ever she's telling you is a scandalous falsehood, don't believe a word of it!"

"Don't you sass me Jacky-boy! You know it's God's own truth as well as I do!"

He smiled at the old woman affectionately and nodded to Lisa as she rose automatically to her feet.

"Well I guess that mean's it's time for me to go guys!" She laughed.

"But I hadn't finished me story! Would you deny an old woman her few remaining pleasures Jackson?"

"Ah but you'll always be young to me Els!"

"Bah! Charmer!"

As Lisa was lead back to her room she couldn't help the small smile that tugged the corner of her mouth as she remembered the terrific chase Elspeth had been telling her about that day, it sounded so intense the cops on their back as they'd heisted a large amount of cash from a mob-run casino. She wished… She felt her body tense and freeze as her mind stuttered on the half finished sentiment. She wished what? That she could've been there, breaking the law alongside murderers and thieves?

It'd been days since she'd added anything concrete to her escape plan, truth be told she hadn't thought of it once during today's rec time. Something was going wrong with her and she knew she had to examine it. She couldn't become complacent, couldn't like these people who helped hold her hostage against her will. Well, whispered a traitorous part of her mind, what else would you be doing? If you escape he'll try and hurt your Dad and you promised no one else you love would be hurt because of you…

So what! She thought angrily at her self, am I supposed to just pal up and make friends and stay here for the rest of my life? A panic she hadn't felt in a while set hold of her insides and made her heart freeze up in her chest. She didn't know what to do but something had to change. And soon.

By this time they'd reached her room without her even noticing until she felt the handcuffs unclick and Jackson wave a hand in front of her face.

"Leese, you okay in there?"

She looked at him distractedly, her voice soft with wonder. "I'm being held captive by a master criminal so he doesn't kill my father. During this I spend my free time cuffed up in an office having friendly conversations with ex-assassin old ladies and hired guns. I don't think that qualifies as being okay."

"Eh, that's life Leese, Whatcha gonna do?" He shrugged, turning to leave as she answered the rhetorical question.

"Take a loooong hot shower I think." She entered the en suite not realizing he'd heard her retort, the door already closed behind him.

Walking the corridor away from Lisa's temporary accommodation Jackson couldn't help but grin. He was winning he knew it, the tales of the reckless adrenaline-packed lifestyle he sometimes led slowly seducing her mind with each story Elspeth told her. He knew he could feel the darkness beneath that cool façade she presented him with, they were more alike than she thought and he couldn't wait to show her it. Soon, he thought gleefully to himself, round two would begin and before she knew it… she would be his.

In a strictly business way of course, he added as an after thought, even though the only person he was convincing was himself.

The following morning Lisa awoke early, stretching to work the kinks out of still-asleep body she began the morning exercises she'd started doing since getting here. She'd be damned if she let the fight go out of her just because she was locked inside a mansion all day every day. This activity kept her body busy but allowed her mind time to work.

She was reaching a cross-roads and she knew it, no way was Jackson just going to let things go on the way they were forever he was trying something. Gaining her trust perhaps? The more her mind worked on the idea the more likely it started to sound. He knew her life so well the routines the structure - of course he'd try and win her over with stories of daring and intrigue. And Elspeth… was she really who she said or just an actress paid for her time. No. She was real all right, something in her eyes told Lisa that. But to what aim? Would he convince her to join his side or make her trust him only to turn around and strike her dead.

She worked her body harder, the crunches becoming faster paced until she could feel the sweat begin to roll. Her head felt too full, full of him. His name scrawled across everything in her mind until she could barely think anymore. She wanted out, she wanted her freedom back. But was it freedom? The day-in-day-out normalcy. She'd tasted another world now and, like Persephone, she didn't know if she could ever fully go back to what she was.

She laughed at her own analogy, running now on the spot until her legs burned, Persephone indeed. Kidnapped by the lord of the underworld and held hostage - her lone parent the only chance of rescue. But Lisa didn't want to be rescued at the cost of her father's life, it was a risk she was not willing to take - her own life however was a different matter. The way she saw it she had three logical choices to get out of there.

1 - Wait to be rescued.

2 - Escape, go into hiding and pray Jackson didn't take his vengeance on her father

And 3 - Kill Jackson Rippner. He wouldn't come after her then.

Her mind blanched at the prospect, could she really kill someone? Just shoot them down like a rabid dog? Maybe, she answered herself, if they really really deserved. The darkness she felt uncoil within scared her, she knew in that instant if she ever met the man from the parking lot again she could kill him without thought or guilt. But could she kill Jackson? She'd tried before sure, but that was different he was actively trying to kill her too, this didn't feel the same.

There was a fourth option but her mind was desperately trying to repress it. Give in, it whispered guiltily too her, join him and live a life outside of normalcy. She reacted as sanely as she could. She punched the wall. Swearing at the sudden burst of pain that washed through her she retreated to the bathroom to wash the sweat away, secretly impressed at the dent she'd left in the plaster.

There was a name for thoughts like that, Stockholm Syndrome.

There was another less well known name for it too, fucking ridiculous.

Jackson was feeling tense, that same delicious nervous feeling he got right before a job when he didn't know how it was going to go down but it was too late to turn back. Today was the beginning of phase two, he greeted Lisa like normal not letting even a hint of his excitement slip past his mask. Now if she just played it cool the day would be perfect. She actually smiled at him today and he was hard pressed to see the sarcasm that normally loaded that particular facial expression. The change rather dazzled him as he was drawn back into memories of a friendly stranger smiling rather similarly at him in a Texas bar. When he thought about it even back then there was an air of distance about her, a tantalizing aloofness that fascinated him.

The office seemed different today, an air of hype in the room. Elspeth was typing furiously away and even the three henchmen were weight-training in the corner gym rather than playing cards.

"What's up?" Lisa asked as she sat in what she was rapidly beginning to think of as her seat.

"Ahh new job. Everyone's in a bit of a tizz because of it."

"Oh." She rather wished she hadn't of asked. She still wasn't comfortable with what they did. Stories of the past were all well and good but thinking about the actuality of it made her feel nauseous.

After an hour or so Jackson whistled everyone around Elspeth's desk. "Looks like we're gonna have to eat on the job today crew. Whose coming on the food run with me?" Everyone groaned. "Danny? That's great. Back in 20." Again the normalcy of the office situation struck Lisa. It was so easy to slip back into forgetting that she was a hostage here at all.

Soon enough he reappeared with sandwiches enough for everyone the younger man following closely behind with a tray full of canned soda. Distributing the hastily gathered food between the group of seven he smiled enigmatically as Lisa commented on her lack of arms.

"Gee that's really great but I can't exactly eat with my hands tied behind my back now can I? I also swear to which ever deity chooses to listen that if you even try and hand feed me I'll bite your god damned fingers off."

Jackson raised an eyebrow at this little outburst but obligingly unlocked her restraints. "Since you asked so nicely Leese, I had every intention of un-cuffing you, not even you're suicidal enough to try and escape here right now."

She stretched her arms and made a face at him, it was true though getting past six of them would take more planning than her current predicament allowed and even if she made it out she wouldn't get far with all of them on her tail.

As everyone began to rip the packaging off their store-bought food Jackson unrolled a blueprint on the free space of the desk. Elspeth nodded darkly at it when Jackson caught her eye.

"A tricky one to be sure m'dear but not impossible."

"What's it of?" Lisa couldn't help but ask as her mind struggled to make sense of the layout in front of her, hands occupied with unwrapping her sandwich.

"A mansion I believe."

"Are you sure it looks more like the layout of a hotel to me, this area here… it's like a reception with the staff lounge here…" She drew a finger absentmindedly along the paper.

"Impossible." Jackson commented with just a hint of arrogance. "I would know if it was."

"I'm telling you the ground floor layout suggests a high-end hotel, the kitchen alone is too large for it to be residential."

"Hmm." He still didn't sound convinced and Lisa could feel herself growing irate.

"Look I worked in a place just like this four years ago, almost exactly the same. Right down to the staff doors along the side."

"Elspeth have you run a history check?"

"On it now, it could explain the complexity of the basement though, old locker rooms and such… Aha the girl's right Jacky you'd do well to listen to her, it was built as a hotel in the 1920's but sold to private owners in the 60s."

Lisa felt a flush of pride, her face a beautiful mask of self-satisfaction coloured with a healthy dose of 'I told you so'. That was until Jackson's next words brought her crashing back to reality.

"Nice job, Leese. That old staff door might just be the perfect way of gaining us entry into the building."

"What… what are you going to do?"

"Sneak in and leave presents for all the kiddies like Santa Clause. What do you think we do here Leese?"

"You're not gonna…"

"Kill 'em?" He finished her question indifferently enough popping open a can of grape soda and taking a healthy swig of it. "Nah not on this case just heisting some valuables."

Her head swam as she realized she was helping her kidnappers, she also realized a part of her wanted more. She stood up abruptly.

"Where'dya think you're going Leese?"

"Out of here. I don't want to be a part of this." Her tone turned icy.

"You sure?" His voice was pitched lower, almost dangerously so. She nodded and swept towards the door, he caught up with her in the corridor below pinning her as effectively as a butterfly in a case.

"You're not like them Leese, they're sheep bleating their way blindly through their pathetic lives until they're dragged to the slaughter house. You're above them, better than them. You're a wolf Leese, like me and Elspeth and the people upstairs." His voice held so much conviction, she could feel it wrapping itself around every inch of her mind and squeezing harder than the hands that held her wrists in place. He made her skin creep but she didn't know if she disliked the feeling anymore.

"I'm not. I'm not a thief. I'm not a killer."

"Just because you've never stolen anything doesn't make you not a thief. Just because you've never hit a major organ doesn't make you not a killer Leese, it just means you've never finished the job. And you know and I know all very well that if you got that chance you'd take it. That man. That day. Don't tell me you wouldn't blow his fucking brains out. That night at your father's house, you didn't shoot to wound. "

It scared her how well he seemed to know her, how close she'd come to killing him. She felt her reason begin to slip, doubt settling round her shoulders like a cloak. What if he was right… god, it was just so hard to think when he stood so close to her.

"Accept it Lisa. You'll be a hell of a lot happier."

"No."

"A compromise then Leese, you work with us on this job and if you don't love every minute of it you get your freedom back and my promise never to darken your or your father's door again. If however you try to escape in this time or compromise the gig in anyway I will have you both put down without ceremony or mercy."

Her heart caught in her throat. She didn't even blink. A strangers valuables or her and her father's lives back?

"Deal."

(( AN/ The plot thickens, reviews are loved so much and make me update much faster ; - ) Thanks to the people who reviewed so far, it literally means the world to me :-) ))


	5. Uneasy Truces and Disturbing Dreams

Life was odd, Lisa decided, as she found herself sitting in a comfortable chair in an airy room completely free of restraints arguing furiously with her would-be-captor about the best way to infiltrate a large residential property unnoticed.

"I am telling you it's too risky to do it through the staff; these people know each other, they know the agencies, know the temps - you will have a much better job of convincing the higher ups."

"But if we just put in a few calls, forge a few papers…"

"They'll know you're no cleaner soon as they look at you Jackson. Trust me."

"Elspeth?" It was not the first time the older woman had been called to weigh in on one of their debates. This time however she just shook her head and sipped at her herbal tea.

"You two kids fight it out between yourselves now. I'm not getting involved."

"Fine! We'll do it your way. Are these people holding some rich-folk event soon Essy? A Gala or whatever?"

She obligingly flicked through the print out schedule next to her. "You're in luck, two weeks from now they're holding a charity ball at the mansion itself. It's a big deal in the higher up circles - want me to get tickets?"

He nodded grimly. "Yes, the usual anonymous sources please."

Lisa grinned triumphantly and mimed drawing a point on her side of an imaginary score board before bending her head back over the plans she was currently working on. A smaller set of the blueprints lay in front of her that she was carefully annotating, a smile still pulling the corner of her mouth.

"You are incredibly smug, you know that?" Jackson watched her; she didn't even lift her head at his comment, the sharpie in her hand moving slowly along the page.

"You're an arrogant, condescending, self-satisfied jackass. What's your point?"

"Two weeks ago I would've knocked you out for saying that."

"Two weeks ago you didn't need my help."

"Want."

"Huh?" She glanced up now, despite the words there conversation was light and the rest of the 'office' seemed used to their constant bickering.

"I don't need your help Leese. I want it."

"What's the difference?"

"I'm not sure I know myself."

The two were snapped out of their conversation however when Jeremy set two cups down in front of them with a thump. His thickly muscled arms more used to pounding skulls than the proper etiquette for setting down tea.

"Coffee for you boss and tea for the lady." He said gruffly before moving on with his tray which still bore three mismatched mugs.

She pulled a face "I don't know how you can drink that."

"Like this." He demonstrated by raising the cup to his mouth. "Simple really."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Did I?" His eyebrows raised in a challenge as the two stared off again. She gave first returning back to her work with a small sound of indignation, making him chuckle quietly to himself. They returned to work in silence again for a long while, only pausing to drink or pass documents when needed. The more she worked there however the more curious she found herself becoming with the house's inhabitants, especially the silent Danny and the enigmatic Paulo – the latter of who had been missing for about a week.

"How come you're business partner isn't here more often?"

"You mean Paulo? He's what you might call freelance, he works cases with us now and then, keeps us in the loop with some of his contacts and we help him out with some of ours. Between ventures though he's usually found in his villa in Tahiti. Can't blame the man."

She nodded, wistfully imagining golden sandy beaches and clear skies, maybe she'd go on vacation when all this was over. God knows she could use the break. Jackson eyed her curiously, the answer to her out of the blue question had rendered her strangely contemplative. He thought after the months of… observing (he hesitated to use the word stalking) her he knew everything about her but she still managed to surprise him with her reactions at every turn.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Whether Hawaii or Tenerife is nicer this time of year…"

"Hawaii probably, the climate is better around this season."

"Hmm."

Time passed.

The weather was perfection, pure white sand stretching out before her as far as she could see. A perfect line between the sapphire blue of the sea and the luscious greenery of the tropical forest. Lisa grinned, a year ago when she'd thought of taking a vacation she'd never of dreamed she'd end up somewhere so divine, so wondrously removed from the spacious but ordinary house she'd spent so much time locked up in.

She let herself traipse slowly down the shore, luxuriating in the feel of the soft ground beneath her and the heat of the sun on her already golden skin. She wore an emerald bikini that complimented her auburn hair and was amazingly unconcerned about the scar that peeked from it's edge. Nothing could spoil her mood. Some distance ahead of her someone was waving from the surf and Lisa felt her heart pick up immediately, her speed increasing alongside it.

It was odd how she couldn't see who they were but it didn't really seem to matter as long as she got there, her feet moved faster and faster until she realized she was running through the sand, her face aching from the smile that seemed to radiate straight from her soul. At the last minute she leaped unconcerned and the stranger, a man she could tell now, caught her before spinning her gracefully in the air. He lowered her laughing.

"Didn't I tell you Hawaii was better at this time of year?"

"Yeah yeah Jackson, you're so smart."

Lisa shot up in bed, cold sweat pooling on her brow. She looked around the dark room frantically before slamming her hand into her forehead, a single phrase violently exclaimed into the night air.

"Damn it."

It was easier to shrug off her strange dream in the cold light of day, a chilled shower also helped alleviate the too-real feel of warm sand under her feet and sun on her skin. It also helped that her mind automatically threw up every psychological text she'd ever read that supported her theory that her dream meant absolutely nothing.

Still, it was harder to meet his eyes today.

Jackson for his part felt unreasonably pleased with himself and not entirely sure why. It was less than 10 days till the big night and nearly time to let Lisa in on part three of his big plan. She'd been sitting at Elspeth's unoccupied desk for a good two hours, this time running Jeremy through the entrance and exit routes she'd mapped out. Her enquiries about the older woman's whereabouts he had met with cryptic smiles and teasing brush offs, she seemed less willing to take the bait however today and only nodded mutely and returned to her work. This change in attitude concerned him slightly, she seemed to be really loosening up in the environment he'd forced her into but today she'd gone back into defense mode it seemed. Time to shake things up.

"You okay Leese?" Jackson paused behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder which she quickly brushed off like a spider. She remained doggedly silent so he repeated himself dragging her name out in a question in his favourite way. "Leese?"

"My name is Lisa." She snapped at him eyes fixed on the work in front of her.

"You don't like the nickname?"

Her glare could freeze blood as she stared him down. "What do you think?"

"Touchy touchy. What's gotten you twisted?"

"None of your business, Jack."

"I think you'll find it is my business, you're my business after all."

"No. I'm not 'your business' I'm a human being and you're a psychopath."

Her words hit a nerve, this wasn't the reaction he was hoping for. She was suddenly so hostile and he was at a loss for the reason why. Every wall he'd slowly coaxed down over the past weeks had slammed back up. He tried to keep the truth out of his tone. "Harsh Lisa, I'm wounded."

"Like you're even capable of emotions."

His hand snapped back to her shoulder as he suddenly towered over her, she could feel the skin burn where he touched.

"Just because I don't allow myself to become a victim of my emotions doesn't mean I don't have them, Leese." The last word rolled off his tongue like acid and Lisa reacted accordingly. The chair clattered to the floor as she whipped around to face him, his hand once again hurled aside. Her eyes were spitting sparks.

"I'm no one's 'victim', Jack. Not to my emotions and not to you." Her hand was raised in a threatening point; the tension was palpable in the air as they faced off. Danny glancing across from the corner whilst the three security men paid more obvious attention, a new respect forming for the kidnapped woman. She wasn't just a friendly hostage anymore but the threat that Jackson had warned them she was. Not just anyone stood up to the infamous Jackson Rippner. It seemed for a moment as if all hell might break loose.

As if on cue the missing Elspeth appeared at the doorway carrying several large outfit covers and an expensive looking carrier bag with a French name on it no one in the room could pronounce never mind translate.

"Glad you two didn't kill each other whilst I was away!" She raised an eyebrow at the stand-off taking place in the middle of the room instantly diffusing the situation with her presence. She set her carry-ons down on an unoccupied table and waving the others distractedly round. "Now you meddlesome chits! As you well know that heist is gonna take place in eight days and none of you has time to be finding never mind a stitch to wear, so old Essy here took it upon herself to sortcha out." She smiled smugly and thrust a concealed outfit at each of the three muscle men in turn before handing one to Danny then Jackson then, much to her dismay, Lisa.

"What do I need this for Es? I'm not going on this heist."

"Sure you are Leese!" She hadn't noticed him move closer, a hint of fire still playing in his eyes. She started and glared at him distrustfully. "Whose better for this job?"

"Just about everyone on this planet apart from me?"

He shook his head patronizingly. "But Leese…" Her teeth clamped together hard. "It's part of our deal."

"No. No way." Lisa slammed her hand down on the dresser in her room, dangerously close to the beautiful emerald green dress spread across it provoking a noise of exasperation from the older woman who had chosen it for her. The colour didn't help either, it reminded her far too closely of another green coloured outfit she'd worn, if only in her subconscious. "No matter how beautiful it is Elspeth I can't wear it. I won't wear it. I don't want to be a part of the law breaking!"

"Pssh. Nonsense, you'll love it trust me! The glamour, the adrenaline; it's just what you need deary."

"But-"

"No buts. I'll tell you straight Lisa, when Jackson told me about his plan to steal you away I thought the boy had gone crazy. I had no idea what made him so hung up over a single woman - at first I figured it was just cos you out bested him, which is no mean feat in itself but the more I saw him obsessing the more I knew there had to be something more to you. Something more than a hotel manager with, and please excuse me for saying darling but, an incredibly mundane life.

When I met you I knew exactly what it was Lisa, you have 'it'. That spark, that elusive strength of mind and character that makes people like us. Despite what you might think of him or what he did Jackson was right when he brought you here, this is exactly the type of life you need, love. Anyone could tell you that." She smiled kindly at the dumbstruck younger woman and patted her hand kindly. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger y'know. Now get! I wanna see this dress on and I want to see it sharpish in case any altering needs doing!"

Lisa silently obeyed, glad it was just Elspeth appraising the figure-hugging sheath of silk she'd been given and still wanted desperately to refuse to wear. Her heart thumped painfully as her mind gave her the instant replay of the woman's words, they terrified and exhilarated her. Zipping up the back of the dress carefully she wondered when her life got so messed up.

Not knowing what possessed her Lisa found herself in front of the door to her room that day at a time too late to be considered night and too early to be considered morning. It was in that strange non-time, around 4am by her guessing that she unconsciously found herself turning the handle on the door she'd long assumed to be locked if she was inside it. It turned.

She let the door swing open silently into the darkened hallway, rendered dreamlike in the moon's glow. Stepping out her eyes swept the corridor, absorbing the grey-blue wash of everything from the floating white curtains at the end of the hallway to the harsh lines of shadow and light cast by the window panes. She padded barefoot across the laminate floor still unconvinced she was in fact awake, that was until a voice called to her making her look up sharply mouth ever so slightly agape.

"What are you doing Lisa?"

Above her, sitting casually on the stairs was a very real, very dishevelled Jackson Rippner. He looked peculiar sat there; slumped forward, arms on his knees and head bent causing his sleep tousled hair to fall into his face. A million miles away from the infuriated man she'd fought with earlier that day.

"Why is my door unlocked?"

He shrugged. "It's been unlocked for weeks you just never thought to check."

She walked towards him, the awake part of her mind telling her the exit was the other way. She ignored it, instead pausing at the banister a few steps below. "Why?"

He looked up at her, his eyes half focused and in the pale lighting he seemed almost human. "Because you made a deal. You keep your promises don't you?"

She nodded silently, moving to sit beside him and not quite sure why. It was harder to be frightened or angry with him when he looked so… vulnerable. A young man in a white t-shirt and pyjama pants sat on the stairs in the middle of the night. "Why are you here?"

He shrugged again, looking across at her next to him. Jackson knew time was counting down to the big night when he might very well lose her. He didn't know if he could ever let her go. She'd become something of a fixture in his life, from a mark to an obsession to… he didn't like to think about it. He let his eyes freely take in the sight of her for once, the porcelain doll shell that concealed the soul of a warrior. "I dunno. I couldn't sleep. I felt like I should be here."

Not knowing what to say Lisa said nothing, instead leaning against the wall with an almost silent sigh. They sat there together not speaking for what felt like forever. Each wrapped up in their own thoughts which almost invariably were about the other.

"I should hate you, y'know."

He almost didn't hear her in the not uncomfortable silence; sliding his eyes over to her he only smiled slightly at her quiet statement, spoken to the floor in front of her. She looked up when he replied, experiencing once again the disorientating sensation of the world dropping out from beneath her when she met his eyes.

"Leese…" His voice was soft, words measured evenly "Do you know why you find it so easy to forget that you're a hostage sometimes, even when we fight? It's because you like it here. You're just scared to death to admit it. Scared it's not the 'normal' way to think, that it doesn't fit into your ordinary little life." He paused here, running his hand through his hair in an unconscious gesture. "And I know that I'm bad tempered and obsessive and well… a little screwed up." She snorted in agreement "But I think you're scared that maybe if you stop seeing me as the villain in your story you might actually just start to like me as well."

She was lost for words again. Everything around her was shifting and changing and she didn't know who or what she was or what she felt. How could she reconcile this unguarded man with the monster who filled her nightmares and played with her mind. Was this all another game of his? Could she even bring herself to care anymore? She went out on a limb.

"Do you have a favourite film?"

Of all the things she could have asked in response this was the last thing he'd expected from her. Puzzled her regarded her face before replying. "Uh… Fightclub I guess. Why?"

"Why is that you're favourite?"

"I thought it was clever when I saw it, the whole fuck the system thing…"

She nodded pensively. "How about music?"

They went on this vein for some time, both talking quietly about things they liked or disliked, movies they'd seen or wanted too, the type of food they preferred. Jackson, although mystified by her quietly blunt questions, soon found himself lost in their own little world. They agreed on more things than Lisa had thought possible as she tried to find the man behind the mask. Before they realized it the sky began to lighten behind the windows and the first rays of a new sun appeared through the curtains. Lisa yawned and stood up.

"I'm going to sleep, Essy apparently has big plans for me today."

He nodded at her abruptness and watched her leave, suddenly very conscious of her absence from beside him. She turned at the door as he spoke.

"Why?"

She knew he wasn't referring to what she had last said but in fact the last hour that had past.

"I was trying to stop seeing you as the villain."

His mouth dried instantaneously. "Did it work?"

She smiled dazedly. "I don't know, I'm still not entirely convinced this wasn't all just a dream. Goodnight Jackson."

"Good morning Lisa."


	6. Pretend and Preludes

In the following days no mention to the night time meeting was made, despite this they seemed to find each other again every now and then in the darkened hallways of the mansion sitting side by side upon the stairs. He led her down to the kitchens once, she made them scrambled eggs. But every time those moonlit moments were forgotten in the harsh light of the sun. Time passed and plans were made and changed and drilled, and before anyone thought it possible it was the day before the heist. Everything was prepared apart from Lisa's fragile nerves.

"One more time Leese."

Glaring harshly at the man sprawled comfortable on a desk Lisa walked towards him one arm looped through Markus "The Muscle" Mannington's. She smiled winningly at him and he barely kept the laughter bottled inside as he could see the fiery indignation in her eyes bellying that smile. He got up with a feline grace and effortlessly schmoozed towards them, she acknowledged his movement with a slight nod and touched her companions arm.

"Isn't this atmosphere divine?"

"It certainly is something ma'am, nothing like this where ah'm from." He'd adopted a Southern drawl that made it her turn to contain her laughter. She took his offered hand and tried hard to make it seem like she was feigning the blush that touched her cheeks when he raised it to his lips.

"And where would that be?"

"Why Mississippi ma'am, Albert Bloom, pleased to meetcha both."

"Lisa, please, and this rudely stoic man beside me is my escort Jackson Riley" She teased Markus smiling.

"Gee what ah handsome name for ah charming fella!" This elicited a groan of exasperation from Lisa "What d'you folks do when you're not gracin' these fahne hallways? Remember Lisa let me do most of the talking." He nodded at Markus.

"Cos you're so talkative right now" She remarked sotto voce.

"We're both in the managerial line of work." The stand-in Jackson grunted. "Hotels and the like mostly"

Lisa beamed at the larger man's unimpressive imitation of the criminal mastermind.

"Now brush it off, never talk too long with people only enough to be polite not enough to cause any long term memory, though don't be so short as to also draw attention either." He didn't even blink as he slid effortlessly back into the Southern persona. "Hotels? Ah cousin of mahne worked in hotels ran the Texan Grand in '87 now do you remember ah -"

"Oh I'm sorry Mr… Bloom was it? Our companion's are waving, I'm afraid we've been awfully remise in neglecting them! It was a pleasure though, sir." She smiled again beatifically rendering him genuinely speechless for a moment as she swept off to the other side of the room. He raised his hands and clapped loudly as she turned and stalked back towards him, he reclaimed his seat on the desk.

"Great Job Leese, you're gonna do fine out there. Those years of dealing with jackasses in hotels is finally paying off."

"I don't know if I'd call committing larceny 'paying off', but thank you… I guess."

"It's defiantly paying off, you're doing a fine job too Markus but next time try and capture my boyish charm."

"Sure thing boss"

Lisa snorted in a very unladylike manner. "Yeah right."

"Yeah Leese don't do that snorting thing tonight. Might not go down to well."

"I hate you."

"I know."

"Are you ready Lisa?" It was 7 o'clock, the gala started at half past but it was an hours drive meaning they'd arrive fashionably late. Lisa tugged at the viridian silk and tried not to think too hard. Wiping her damp palms on a towel she checked her make up and the integrity of her chic up-do hairstyle in the bathroom mirror one more time, glad she'd schooled her face not to reveal her emotions long ago. She wasn't the quaking lamb who got pushed around by rapists with knives and threatened by men on planes. She was a lion.

"I'm coming now." She called as she turned away from her reflection, so very different from the wild looking creature she'd seen in a gas station mirror just a few weeks before. She grabbed the matching clutch from the bed which contained several discrete lock-picking tools and the lipstick Elspeth picked out for her in a crimson shade apparently called 'Obsession'.

She left the room, meeting the older lady in the hallway, Elspeth was resplendent in grey silk and pearls - entirely understated but elegant. Together the two descended the stairs into the foyer below where the front door stood open and the gentlemen awaited, Lisa took the time to muse that perhaps it was a good thing the three larger boys wouldn't be joining the party itself as even the exquisite tailoring of their suits couldn't hide there bulky physiques. Danny on the other hand looked quite charming beside them, youthful but well presented. She still didn't know if he could speak or not. And there in the midst of them all he was, looking ridiculously dapper in his suit and pinstriped waistcoat.

His hair had been trimmed shorter for the occasion throwing his already prominent cheekbones into even sharper definition and making his pale blue eyes almost unbearable. Especially when he turned them on her, looking up through thick almost girlish lashes as she descended with Elspeth, a half smile playing on his lips his hands casually resting in his pockets.

"Don't just stand there gaping ya ninny heads! Tell us how beautiful we look!" The elderly lady cackled and Lisa was suddenly glad for the foundation that might help disguise the slight colouring of her face. It didn't help that Jackson's response was a low whistle. She gritted her teeth and held her head high.

"Can we just get this over with so I can go home?"

The infuriating smirk was bigger this time accompanied by a shrug as Jackson took her arm. "If that's what you want Leese" He led her towards the door where two large unmarked cars sat one black, one silver and both very expensive looking. It was her first real outside experience in about a month and she didn't realize how much she missed the cool breeze and the scent of the outdoors. The joy of this however was underlain by the quiet words whispered in her ear by a man in a sharp suit who smelt even better than the forest. "If you're sure that's what you really… want."

She shivered.

((A/N:: Well gee if that wasn't just a massive filler chapter -.- Sorry about that but I needed just a little more buildup! Don't worry though the gala is next up and then maybe I'll look at finishing this beast! Ahh I wish I knew how to end it! Still I promise you plenty of thrills, chills and just maybe a dash of… romance? Hehe! Reviews, as always, are my reason for being I love them almost as much as I love the people who write them ;-) ))


	7. Adreneline

((A/N:: and here it is! The big finale, without further ado… enjoy :D ))

The room was magnificent. Unprecedented in size and gleaming with chandeliers it looked like a scene straight out of a movie. One wall was entirely comprised of floor-to-ceiling windows which perfectly complimented the parquet flooring, half the space was filled with a whirl of dancing couples whilst the other half was occupied by sophisticated men and women talking breezily too each other in a careless fashion.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." The words were whispered into the ear of a very sharply dressed man by a woman in an elegant green dress. They blended perfectly with the elite who crowded the ballroom. Lisa had finally gotten over her surprise at the situations she found herself in, instead she let herself go with it - for all she knew the last month or so could have all been a beautiful, terrifying dream. She mingled with a grace that she didn't realize she possessed, years people-pleasing had made her an adept liar and confident with strangers. However, for the intelligent and independent woman she seemed and thought herself to be, the idea of slipping the arm of her escort and raising the alarm never crossed her mind.

Jackson for his part was altogether entirely too pleased with himself, there was something about undertaking this job with Lisa that surpassed any heist he'd pulled before. The warmth of her hand on his arm, the sound of her voice beside him, it filled a place he didn't realize had been empty. It just felt _right _to him. It was effortless and for that moment it seemed as if this was the hundredth time they'd worked like this not the first. The feeling was heightened by the knowledge that the clock was inching ever closer to the time when the plan would be set too. But, he thought smugly, there was just about time for another more personal plan of his.

Twisting he took her hand in his and, before she had time to voice the question in her gaze, he pulled them off course and into the whirl of the dance floor.

"What are we-"

"Keeping up appearances." He cut in smoothly anticipating the direction of her question. "Go with it Leese." She shrugged but gave into him, letting him guide her around the floor with a practiced ease. It was only one night after all she thought, what harm could one dance do in the greater scheme of things?

"Well here we are…" Even to herself the words sounded breathless; a displaced sense of timidity coursed through her making Lisa suddenly glad she'd let her mother talk her into dance lessons when she was young.

"We are indeed." He agreed with a hint of a smirk dipping her unexpectedly and prompting a squeak of surprise in response. "Enjoying your first federal offence?"

"Can we not talk business?" She teased readjusting her hand where it rested on the smooth fabric of his shoulder.

"Sorry Leese, am I killing the moment?"

Lisa looked up into playful eyes the colour of the summer sky; they frightened and intrigued her more than she could bear. It was those eyes that filled her dreams and made her feel like she was falling just by looking into them for too long. She decided that, for the moment at least, reality could go to hell.

"Yes Jackson, you're killing the moment. Now shut up and dance."

No one could talk to him like she could, making him fall easily back in line for her. The reason for the dance was not for appearances like he said, at that moment the last thing on his mind was pretense. He felt more like himself than he had in years, she had that effect on him and he'd prolong their closeness for as long as he could. The hatred and vengeance Jackson harbored had become something infinitely more dangerous until he found himself convinced he only existed to be by her side.

The orchestra brought the song to an elegant close and the couple joined the rest of the dance floor in politely applauding them. He had no time to coerce her into another song as he saw some familiar faces in the crowd ahead. Elspeth and Danny stood in the mass of non-dancing society, the younger posing as the elder's doting grandson. Jackson pulled Lisa in their direction.

They pulled up just beside Elspeth who was watching a charming young man confidently engage a group of well-bred young ladies with a story of a particularly wild game of tennis. He schmoozed easily in the group from lady to lady enthralling them all with his witticisms and easy manner. It was a few seconds before Lisa realized the witty youth was Danny, she didn't do too good a job covering her shock if the quiet laugh from next to her was any indication.

"He can talk?" Her voice, although low had a definite note of shock too it.

"He can talk." Jackson quietly confirmed. "That's the thing about young Daniel, he's shy as hell when he's being himself but give him a role to play and…" he gestured towards the talkative figure "he's as confident as you like."

"What's his story anyway?"

"Danny? Oh he's a good kid. A little odd perhaps but hey we all have our ways, I'm not gonna judge. From what I've heard he was the child of one of Elspeth's neighbours a few years back, I gather he was beaten up pretty bad, abusive parents you know the story. Well you can imagine what Elspeth was like when she found him like that. She took care of his problems for him and took him in. Turns out he was a bright kid, artistic and a prodigal actor. He's now one of the world's most in demand field-men, makes a good living off it when he chooses. I think he prefers the quiet life though."

"Oh. I never realized…" During this hushed exchange the couple had moved closer together, huddled against the back wall, faces bending towards each other like flowers in the sun. They stood there unspeaking as each realized their sudden proximity to the other and it seemed for a moment as if something might happen, if asked at that moment however neither would claim knowledge of what though. The tension was broken by the chiming of the large clock in the hallway. He glanced away then casually whispered three words to her that made her heart stop in her chest.

"It's show time."

"What, now?"

"Yup, let's do this Leese." Jackson smiled at her, his face betraying the fervent excitement that flowed through him. She felt the adrenaline rush, caught from him like wildfire until she could feel her own anticipation thrumming under her skin like electricity. The world was going mad around her and she wasn't entirely sure she disliked it anymore. Her only response was a short nod but whatever Jackson read on her face seemed to make his eyes glow brighter as he caught her hand in his and pulled her sharply backwards through a door that no one was watching. At that exact moment Elspeth had fainted to the floor, Danny instantly at her side trying to revive her. The diversion was underway, allowing Lisa and Jackson to move around unnoticed.

They slipped from the crowded ballroom into an unoccupied hallway, they knew the way instinctively the blueprints drilled thoroughly into them. Moving silently and quickly they descended the hidden steps to the basement where the man of the house kept his office and private library cum trophy room, inside of which they should find their target. They stopped side-by-side just outside the door, keeping their voices hushed in the silence.

"Did you double check the mark's location?"

"Yes, are you sure there were no other unmarked entrances or exits?"

Lisa nodded confidently.

"I guess this is it then."

"I guess so… and Jackson?"

"Yes Leese?"

"I think maybe I am enjoying my first federal offence."

"Well we best make sure it's not you're last then." He grinned elated by her words and the closeness he found himself in before tearing himself away to deal with the locks outside the room. Despite the fancy look to the electronic device the system was more for show than practicality, the wealthy owner of the house obviously not as keen on spending his money as he was earning it.

"Cheapskate." He muttered as the light turned green. Holding his breath he readied himself before pushing the door open, it gave with a soft woosh of air. Propping it open for Lisa who slipped in before him he held the alarm system at bay before hastily wiping it out completely. He turned into the darkened room already signalling for Lisa to get the tools out when he noticed something wrong. A lamp was on in the corner, silhouetting a decidedly male figure against the gloomy library shelves, a decidedly male figure holding a loaded weapon. His heart instantly stuttered, she'd betrayed him - called the cops somehow and set him up. He was wrong. Upon closer inspection the man did have a gun poised to shoot but instead of using it to protect the damsel, he was holding it against her skull.

"Hello Jackson."

"Fancy seeing you here Paulo."

It's odd what you think about when you're thrown in the path of death, everything seems to come into sharper focus. The mahogany bookshelves that lined the room filled with handsome leather bound behemoths, the glass cases dotted elegantly around and gleaming faintly in the light of the single Tiffany lamp. Even the smell of the place, clean but still maintaining a hint of past times and the dust that follows any large collection of books no matter how well kept.

Lisa was trying to think rationally about her situation. This was rendered difficult by the cold metal of the gun currently being pressed against her head. It was not the most pleasant sensation but she was just glad this lunatic hadn't decided to pistol whip her into unconsciousness upon seizing her. She wasn't, she was pleased to find, scared though. She was furious.

"Open the case Rippner." Paulo jerked his chin towards the glass cabinet at the centre of the unfolding drama. His face was a mask of serenity as he unpicked the lock but it was a good thing the light didn't fall upon Jackson's eyes, they were burning with hatred. His voice betrayed none of his emotions, it was deadly calm and conversational. The obscenely large diamond, the object of their attentions, sat in it's case gleaming innocently enough.

"What's the deal then Paulo, thought you were in Tahiti?"

"You thought wrong."

"Why the hold-up, if you'd wanted in you'd have been more than welcome."

"To what? A fraction of profit? Working for a washed up nobody? You used to be someone Jackson, now you're just a shell of your old self. Too obsessed with this damaged bitch, who by the way you have to hold hostage to even stand a chance with, to realize you're true potential. It's pathetic, really." Lisa's teeth gritted against his words but she knew her best chance in this situation was too play along. She rolled her eyes but let out a convincing whimper of terror.

"Ah."

"I knew from the start this was going to happen, as soon as you got that Keefe case. You got too involved, too interested in a mark it wasn't right. I wasn't even surprised when the clever bitch shot you, you got sloppy Jackson. It's just a shame she didn't finish the job." He paused to turn his attentions to Lisa, his eyes were chips of black ice and he looked almost as greasy as he sounded "Hey I'm probably doing you a favour right now aren't I toots? You got a taste for the bad guys? Maybe that whole hostage thing turn you on? Perhaps I won't shoot you after all…"

His words made her stomach churn with a hatred that was currently being echoed in the veins of the man holding the diamond. Jackson was seething, no one could speak to her like that, or touch her. It was becoming a struggle to hold a grip on his emotions but he soldiered on.

"If I give this to you how do I know you won't shoot us both anyway?"

"You don't. Now hand it over or the bitch gets it." He pressed the gun harder against Lisa's temple causing her to jerk in his grip, she met Jackson's gaze - her own anger mirrored back to her perfectly. Her captor continued on his monologue, turning his attentions to the irate redhead that was currently pinned against his cheap Armani knock-off suit. She repressed a gag as his breath washed over her, it was unpleasantly warm and smelt like alcohol and disease. "Y'hear that, he better do as I say or I'm just gonna shoot ya. If you're lucky maybe I'll letcha live, enjoy life a bit." His arm tightened around her fingers groping blindly at the silk of her dress making her want to burn the garment. "I knew you'd be up for it soon as he brought you in, girl like you likes it rough huh? How about it 'Leese' want it rough?"

She ignored his words even as they filled her veins with poison. She flicked her eyes to the diamond then her kidnapper mouthing two words that had Jackson internally grinning. 'Throw left.' She could have sighed with relief when he gave the minutest nod to signal that he'd got it.

Lisa was through with being a damsel in distress, this time she was saving herself and taking the bastard down. For good. Jackson followed her instructions and pitched the diamond at the man who flailed an arm out to catch it, Lisa seized the moment lifting one leg and driving the stiletto of her heel deep into his foot, she loved her high heels. He wavered off balance finger tightening instinctively on the trigger. Lisa had just enough time to whip around and grab the arm holding the gun, pointing it down and inwards so when his hand convulsed his shot went straight through the meat of his chest with a satisfying thunk.

"Rough enough for you?" She spat at the twitching man on the floor before grabbing the diamond from his rapidly cooling fingers. "I think we better get out of here Jack."

He nodded as she dropped the jewel into her clutch, he seized her free hand and ran with her through the door and out of the pre-planned escape route for if something went bad. Despite the party upstairs they couldn't rely on the hope that no one had heard the shot ring out. They didn't speak until they were outside beyond the garden wall waiting for Jez to swing by with one of the unmarked vehicles. Elspeth and Danny should've already been out of there but they wouldn't get confirmation until the car turned up. As they hit the designated waiting spot Jackson turned on her, grabbing her tightly too him and without thought or reason pressing his lips to hers.

She raised her hands to his chest ready to push him away but instead she found her fingers curling unconsciously into the lapels of his jacket pulling him even closer. The adrenaline was still pumping through her, she could feel her body shake as she realized how close she'd come to death in that room, to worse. If she'd faltered for a second. She threw off the thoughts and melted into the kiss and the raw energy it shot through her.

"If he… If he'd…" The usually eloquent Jackson stumbled over his words. "I'd have killed him Lisa."

"You didn't have too. I did. I guess I am a murderer and thief after all." She laughed completely disconnected from reality.

"I can't let you go." The feeling in his eyes was evident. She couldn't help but feel the thrill of guilty pleasure at this, no one had ever gone this far before, needed her so desperately it seemed. The invisible, average people pleaser seemed vanished under his focused gaze.

"But… I'm free now right… I can leave if I want?"

His hands tightened driving her back against the uneven texture of the stone wall behind them, his mouth sought hers again desperate to convince her to stay. He didn't know when it had happened but somewhere between getting the Keefe assignment, getting out manoeuvred and getting her to steal diamonds with him Jackson Rippner had fallen unintentionally and undeniably in love with his mark. He could remember with a vivid clarity every moment they had shared together as if his whole life had been in black and white until she appeared and brought glorious Technicolor with her.

"Leese…" He sought her eyes out sinking deep into them as if they could conjure up images of her soul. He knew he could never hurt her, it wasn't that he wasn't capable of systematically killing off everyone she loved until there was only him in her life. He could kidnap her again and lock her up until the earth ended. He could frighten and threaten and coerce her into loving him. But he wouldn't. To win her like that wouldn't be winning her at all; he wanted her to stay with him because she loved him and needed him as much as he needed her, not because she was forced to. He let out a sigh, shoulders slumping as he turned his face from her, "Yeah… you're free to go now."

"Good." He felt his heart cry out but it was abruptly stopped when the fingers curled in his suit jacket pulled him closer to her and she kissed him like he was her last lifeline on earth. She pulled back ever so slightly, pleased with the shell shocked look she'd inspired on his face. "I needed the choice Jackson. I'm done being the victim here."

"What are you then Leese?" He teased relishing the feeling of her in his arms at last.

"I don't know…" She pondered the question for a while. Despite the loss of the normalcy she'd fought so hard for she couldn't bring herself to mourn the life she was giving up. It was a shell of an existence and she'd be lying if she thought it could ever compete with the chance fate was now giving her. She was being offered a life that barely anyone in the whole world would ever get to experience, a freedom that was unparrelled in today's society of rules and regulations. She wasn't that ordinary girl anymore and she didn't even know if she ever truly had been in the first place. Lisa had a chance now at something bigger something she could share with the man who had filled her every waking thought since she'd met him, It was hard to admit that she was just as obsessed with him as he was with her and despite everything they'd put each other through something about them felt right. There was a fine line between hate and love after all.

She'd been silent for long enough that Jackson had begun to worry. She looked up at him at last and smiled brightly "I don't know what I am anymore Jackson," she answered truthfully "but I think with you around I'm going to have fun becoming it…"

((A/N:: I wonder if ending fics will ever become easier for me? I hate ittttt :-( Still, there we go – who knows maybe I'll even get round to writing a sequel :D

Well if you enjoyed reading it even one tenth as much as I loved writing it please drop me a review – they make this whole fanfiction business worth while :D

~Snowfright xxx ))


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